Brake cylider pressure control apparatus



Oct. 19, 1954 THOMAS 2,692,167

BRAKE CYLINDER PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 uwgu-roa Glenn M Thomas BY 4W4 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 19, 1954 BRAKE CYLINDER PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS Glenn M. Thomas, Dravosburg, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmercling, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 10, 1951, Serial No. 241,225

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fluid pressure brake apparatus and more particularly to manually operative means for releasing fluid under pressure from and supplying fluid under pressure to a brake cylinder device.

In the pending application of Earle S. Cook, Serial No. 238,918, filed July 27, 1951, there is disclosed a brake controlling valve device which is operative upon a reduction in pressure of fluid in a brake pipe to supply fluid under pressure from a source to a brake cylinder device for applying the brakes on a vehicle. A manually operative release and reapplication valve device controls communication through which the fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder device and with the brake pipe vented, said valve device is operative manually to either close said communication and vent the brake cylinder device so as to release the brakes on the vehicle without loss of fluid under pressure from the source, or to close the vent to the brake cylinder device and reopen said communication to permit fluid under pressure from the source to again flow to the brake cylinder device to apply the brakes. Upon recharging of the brake pipe with fluid under pressure, the valve device is automatically reset to close the brake cylinder vent and reopen the communication from the brake controlling valve device to the brake cylinder device, in case a trainman should leave the valve device in the position venting the brake cylinder device, for thereby ensuring that the brakes on the vehicle will apply when the engineer subsequently desires such to occur.

For thus automatically resetting the valve device, a flexible diaphragm is subject to brake pipe pressure in a chamber open to the brake pipe and operative thereby upon recharging of the brake pipe to effect such resetting. When the pressure of fluid in the brake pipe is reduced to a relatively low degree, as upon an emergency reduction in pressure therein, the diaphragm is rendered ineffective on the valve device to permit manual operation of said valve means, as above described.

It is undesirable to, in effect, increase the volume of the brake pipe on a vehicle by opening a chamber, such as just mentioned, to the brake pipe for such added volume will act to slow down the transmission of quick service and quick emergency action through the brake pipe on a train of vehicles. Moreover, it might be desirable to be able to operate the manually operative release and reapplication valve device to release and reapply brakes on a vehicle, for testing purposes, with the brake pipe still charged with fluid up to substantially that present at the end of effecting a full service application of brakes.

The principal object of the invention is therefore the provision of an improved manually operative release and reapplication valve device which may be operated to release and reapply brakes on a vehicle with the brake pipe charged with fluid at substantially the pressure which exists upon a full service reduction in brake pipe pressure and which does not undesirably add volume to the usual brake pipe on a vehicle.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic View of a fluid pressure brake apparatus embodying the invention.

Description As shown in the drawing, the brake apparatus comprises a brake controlling valve device 5 including a manually operative brake release and reapplication valve device 2, a brake pipe 3, an auxiliary reservoir 4 and a brake cylinder device 5.

For the purpose of illustration, the brake controlling valve device i may comprise a flexible diaphragm 6 at one side of which is a chamber '3 open to brake pipe 3 while at the opposite side is a chamber la open to the auxiilary reservoir 4. A main slide valve 8 and an auxiliary slide valve 9 are contained in valve chamber l, the main slide valve being mounted to slide on a seat in the casing of the device and being disposed between two spaced apart shoulders 9a, ID on a stem H connected at one end to diaphragm B for movement therewith. The auxiliary slide valve 9 is mounted to slide on the main slide valve 8 and is disposed in a recess in stem H for movement with said stem.

The manually operative release and reapplication valve device 2 comprises a valve l2 contained in a chamber l3 which is open to the brake cylinder device 5 and is operative to control communication between said chamber and brake cylinder device, and a chamber 54 which is open to atmosphere through an atmospheric passage or vent I5. The valve I2 is connected to one end of a stem l6 extending through chamber M and its opposite end is connected to a plunger ll slidably mounted in a bore in a partition wall separating chamber 14 from a chamber It, the chamber It being connected via passage 19 to the seat of the main slide valve 8.

A sealing ring 20 carried by plunger I1 has sliding contact with the wall of the casing bore to prevent leakage of fluid under pressure from chamber I8 to chamber I4 and thence atmosphere via passage I5.

A bore 2 I extends axially through valve I2, stem I6 and plunger I'I, being open at one end to chamber I3 and opening at the opposite end through a valve seat provided on the end of plunger II to chamber I8, a valve 22 in chamber I 8 being provided to cooperate with said seat to close communication between chamber I8 and bore 2I A spring 5I in chamber I3 acts on valve I2 urging it to its seat. 7

The valve 22 is connected to one end of a manually operative rod 23 extending through a bore in a partition wall 24 and a chamber 25 to the exterior of the device for operation by a trainman. A sealing ring 26 carried by the rod has sealing contact with the wall of the bore in partition wall 24 to prevent leakage of fluid under pressure along said rod from chamber I8. In chamber 24 two oppositely extending toggle arms 21 have their adjacent ends connected by a pin 28 to rod 23. In the opposite end of each arm is a roller 29, the opposite ends of the two arms being connected together by a spring 30 which is under tension. Chamber 25 has two opposite and parallel arranged end walls 3| for contact by the rollers 29. With the rollers 29- in contact with the inner wall 3|, it will be seen that spring 30 will urge the rod 23 outwardly of the casing to a position defined by the adjacent ends' of arms 21 engaging the outer wall 3|, said rod thereby unseating the valve 22 while permitting seating of valve I2 by spring 5I. Upon manual movement of rod 23 inwardly of the casing, the pivot pin 28 will move to the side of the line of action of spring 3!) opposite that in which it is shown in the drawing, whereupon spring 30 will move rollers 29 into contact with the outer end wall EI and urge rod 23 inwardly until the adjacent ends of arms 21 engage the inner end wall 3 I, this operation seating valve 22 and through said valve actuating plunger I! to unseat valve I2 against spring 5|.

The numeral 32 designates a flexible diaphragm arranged in coaxial relation to and spaced from the valve I2. At one side of diaphragm 32 is a chamber 33 open through a passage 34 containing a choke 35 to the seat of the main slide valve 8. At the opposite side of diaphragm 32 is a chamber 36 open through a passage 31 in a partition wall 38 to chamber I3 which in effect constitutes a part of chamber 36. A plunger 39 slidably mounted in a bore through partition Wall 38 has on one end a head 43 engaging the adjacent face of diaphragm 32 while the opposite end is arranged to engage valve I2 around the bore 2I. The plunger 39 has a bore II adapted to register at the inner end of plunger 39 with the bore 2I, the bore II being constantly open to chamber I3 through a port 42 extending radially through said plunger.

Operation slide valve with a passage 44 which is open through a passage 44 containing a charging choke 45 to the brake pipe 3. Through the communication just described, the valve chamber Ia and auxiliary reservoir 4 will become charged with fluid at the pressure in brake pipe 3 in the usual manner.

In the release position of the main slide valve 8, a port 46 therein, which is constantly open to valve chamber Ia, registers with passage 34 so that fluid at the pressure in said chamber and the auxiliary reservoir 4 will become effective in chamber 33 wherein it will act on diaphragm 32 to deflect same toward the right hand. If the valve I2 is open and valve 22 closed at this time, the deflection of diaphragm 32 will move plunger 33 into contact with valve I2 to seat valve I2 and during seating of valve I2 will move valve 22 and rod 23 to a position in which the line of action of spring 35 is at the right hand side of pin 28 so that said spring will unseat the val-ve'22'.

With valve 22 open,. the brake cylinder 5 will be open through chamber I3, port 32 and bore AI in plunger 39, bore 2I in valve I2, stem I3 and plunger II to chamber I8 and thence to atmosphere through passage I9, a cavity ll in the main slide valve 8 and an atmospheric port 33.

With the brake pipe 3' and auxiliary reservoir 4 thus fully charged with fluid under pressure and the brake cylinder device 5 vented, if it is desired to eflect an application of brakes, the pressure of fluid in brake pipe 3 will be reduced in the usual manner at a rate exceeding the capacity of charging choke 35 to permit auxiliary reservoir pressure in valve chamber 1a to reduce by back flow to said brake pipe. When the brake pipe pressure in chamber I is thus reduced slightly below auxiliary reservoir pressure in chamber la acting on the opposite side of diaphragm 6, said diaphragm will deflect upward until an extension 49 of stem II engages the casing. During such movement of stem II, the auxiliary slide valve 9 will first be moved relative to the main slide valve 8 until shoulder It on stem II engages the main slide. valve 3 and then said main slide valve will move with said stem. The movement of the auxiliary slide valve 9 relative to the main slide valve II will lap port 43 so as to close communication from the auxiliary reservoir 4 to the brake pipe 3 to prevent back flow of fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake pipe and will also open one end of a service port 50 to valve chamber Ia, while subsequent movement of the main slide valve 8 will move port 43 therein out of registry with the auxiliary reservoir charging passage 44, and move cavity 41 out'of registry with passage I9 and into registry with passage 34 and also move the service port'5II into registry with passage I9. Fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir 3 and valve chamber Ia will then flow through passage I3 to chamber I8, past the open valve 22 therein to bore 2I and thence through bore 4|, passage 42 and chamber I3 to the brake cylinder device 5 to apply brakes on a vehicle.

The opening of passage 33 to atmosphere via cavity 41 in slide valve 8 and the atmospheric port 48, at substantially the same time as fluid under pressure is supplied to passage I9 to apply the brakes on the vehicle, releases fluid under pressure from the diaphragm chamber 33, thereby relieving pressure of said diaphragm on the valve I2. The pressure of spring 5| on valve I2 is adapted to hold said valve seated however against build up of pressure in chamber 18 as fluid under pressure is supplied via said chamber to chamber 13 and the brake cylinder device until pressure in chamber It becomes efiective to aid said spring to hold said valve seated.

If less than a full service reduction in pressure in brake pipe 3 is effected, then when the auxiliary reservoir pressure in valve chamber la becomes reduced by flow to the brake cylinder device 5 to a degree slightly lower than the opposing brake pipe pressure acting in chamber 1 on diaphragm 5, said diaphragm will deflect downward to a lap position in which the stem shoulder 3a will engage the main slide valve 3 to stop such movement. This movement will however move the auxiliary slide valve 9 relative to the main slide valve 8 and lap the service port 58 so as to prevent further flow of fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir 4*. to the brake cylinder device 5 for thereby limiting the pressure in the brake cylinder device in accordance with the degree of reduction in pressure in the brake pipe.

If a full service or greater reduction in brake pipe pressure is effected, then the pressure of fluid in the auxiliary reservoir l will equalize in the brake cylinder device 5 at the same pressure as will be present in the brake pipe 3 at the end of a full service reduction in pressure therein whereby the diaphragm 3 and auxiliary slide valve 3 will remain in their uppermost or service position in which the auxiliary reservoir 4 will remain open to the brake cylinder passage l3.

With the auxiliary reservoir 4 thus open to the brake cylinder passage M with the brake pipe charged to any pressure up to that remaining therein at the end of a full service reduction in brake pipe pressure, and with diaphragm chamber 33 open to atmosphere via cavity 47 in slide valve 8 and port 13, brake cylinder pressure in chamber 36 will deflect diaphragm 32 toward the left hand and remove pressure of plunger 33 on valve 12 as above mentioned.

With the brakes on the vehicle thus applied and valve l2 relieved of pressure from diaphragm 32, if a trainman should desire to release the brakes on the vehicle without dissipating the fluid under pressure still remaining in the auxiliary reservoir 4, he will push rod 23 into the casing of the device to seat valve 22 and then open valve 22. The seating of valve 22 closes communication between the auxiliary reservoir 4 and brake cylinder device 5 while the opening of valve .12 will release fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder device 5 for thereby releasing the brakes on the vehicle without releasing the fluid under pressure remaining in the auxiliary reservoir 4.

If after the brakes are thus released on the vehicle, the operator desires to reapply the brakes, he will pull rod 23 out of the casing to open valve 22 and permit closure of valve i2 by spring 5i whereupon pressure of fluid remaining in the auxiliary reservoir '3 will equalize into the brake cylinder device 5 to reapply the Vehicle brakes.

In this manner, after the brakes on the vehicle have been applied upon a reduction in pressure in brake pipe 3, the application may be released, and then the brakes may be reapplied, by manual operation of the release and reapplication valve device 2 as long as sufiicient pressure remains in the auxiliary reservoir d to cause an application, such operation being intended only for inspection or adjusting purposes or for renewal of brake shoes when the vehicle is still.

Even with only a partial application of brakes in effect, at which time the parts of the brake con- 6". v trolling valve device I will be in lap position, and the diaphragm chamber 33 vented, a trainn'lan may by operation of the release and reapplication valve device 2 release the partial application of brakes, if such be desired. The brakes can not be reapplied by operation of the valve device 2 under this condition however since the service port 50 is lapped by the auxiliary slide valve 9 closing communication between the auxiliary reservoir 4 and passage l9.

Upon recharging the brake pipe 3 with fluid under pressure subsequent to having reduced such pressure to effect an application of brakes, the diaphragm 3 will return the slide valves 9, ii to their normal position in which the auxiliary reservoir will be recharged with fluid under pressure from the brake pipe 3, the brake cylinder passage l3 will be reopened to atmosphere via cavity 41 in the main slide valve 8 and port 46 in said main slide valve will again register with passage 34 to permit fluid under pressure to be supplied from the auxiliary reservoir 4 to diaphragm chamber 33.

If the brake cylinder device 5 is charged with fluid under pressure at the time the parts of the brake controlling valve device I are returned to normal position and the parts of the release and application valve device 2 are in their normal position, in which they are shown in the drawing, then the fluid under pressure will be released from said brake cylinder device via passage l3, cavity M in the main slide valve 8 and passage 48.

If while the brake controlling valve device was in service application position or lap position, the brake cylinder device 5 had been vented by operation of the release and application valve device 2 and'the valve l2 was still open and valve 22 closed, then at the time the main slide valve 3 is returned to release position in response to an increase in pressure in brake pipe 3, the fluid under pressure supplied from the auxiliary reservoir 4 to diaphragm chamber 33 will actuate said diaphragm to close valve l2 and open valve 22 to ensure that the brakes will be applied upon a subsequent reduction in pressure in brake pipe 3.

The choke 35, it will be noted, limits the rate of supply of fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir 4 to diaphragm chamber 33 and thereby the rate of increase in pressure therein when the main slide valve 8 is returned to release position in which passage I9 is vented. The purpose of this is to so delay the consequent increase in pressure in chamber 33 as to prevent obtaining sufiicient pressure on diaphragm 32 to seat valve [2 and unseat valve 22 against the pressure of the toggle spring 30, before pressure of fluid which may be in passage !9 and chamber I8 is reduced substantially to atmospheric pressure. Otherwise upon opening of valve 22 with chamber i8 and passage 19 charged with fluid under pressure, such pressure equalizing into the brake cylinder device 5 might produce such a pressure therein as to cause movement of the brake cylinder piston (not shown) which might injure a person if, for example, he was renewing brake shoes on the vehicle and was not aware that the brake pipe was being recharged with fluid under pressure.

Summary It will now be seen that I have provided an arrangement including a manually operative release and reapplication valve device whereby after the brakes on a vehicle are applied by a full service or any greater reduction in pressure in brake pipe 3, the brakes may be manually released without dissipating the fluid under pressure remaining in the auxiliary reservoir which may be employed for manually effecting another application of brakes, if such be desired. Upon recharging of the brake pipe with fluid under pressure, the manually operative release and reapplication valve device will be automatically reset to ensure brake application upon a subsequent reduction in pressure in the brake pipe.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

In a fluid pressure brake apparatus, in combination, a brake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, fluid pressure operable brake applying means, brake control means controlled by opposing pressures of fluid in said brake pipe and reservoir and having the usual release position for releasing fluid under pressure from said brake applying means and service position for supplying fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said brake applying means, one valve controlling communication between said brake applying means and a 25 vent, bias means for urging said valve to a position for closing said communication, a second valve controlling communication between said 8, brake control means and brake applying means and operative upon closin such communication to operate said one valve to open the communication controlled thereby, manually operative means for actuating said other valve to its communication opening and closing positions, a movable abutment open at one side to a chamber and operative upon supply of fluid under pressure to said chamber to close said one valve and upon relief of fluid under pressure from said chamher to permit opening of said one valve by said other valve, toggle means acting on said other valve for biasing same to actuate said one valve to its open position and for biasing said other valve to its open position upon seating of said one valve, said. brake control means comprising means for supplying fluid under pressure to said chamber in said release position and for venting said chamber upon movement out of said release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,293,778 Sudduth Apr. 25, 1942 2,490,997 Cook Dec. 13, 1949 

